


Babysitting Ace

by siojo



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-08-11 07:16:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7881805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siojo/pseuds/siojo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shanks has a little brother who thinks he's the coolest thing ever and Benn wants to know who willingly left their kid with his idiot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Babysitting Ace

“Captain?” Benn asks slowly, brows drawn together in confusion as Shanks shifts the child on his hip, “What?”

Shanks grins, “This is Portgas D Ace,” Ace waves shyly, face hidden mostly in Shanks’ shoulder, hands clutching at Shanks’ shirt. “His parents are friends and I promised to watch him for a bit.”

“Shanks is my big brother,” Ace adds in a soft voice, silver eyes watching Benn closely. “He’s the best big brother.”

“I’m Benn Beckman, the first mate of the Red Force,” Benn sighs. “It’s nice to meet you, Ace.”

Ace grins, brightly and bounces in Shanks’ arms, “Nice to meet you!”

“Alright, Firecracker, don’t bounce too much or I might drop you,” Ace stops, arms wrapping around Shanks’ neck. “Benn’s gonna help me look after you until your mom and dad come and get you.”

“Mom and dad are gonna come back, right?” Ace asks.

Shanks laughs, “Kiddo, I don’t think there’s anything that would stop your mom and dad from coming back to get you.” He shifts past Benn, entertaining Ace as they walk. “And if they don’t come back, I’ll go get them for you, promise.”

Benn follows in their wake, watching them both in confusion. It’s obvious from their looks that Ace and Shanks aren’t related, but family is so complicated that it’s possible that Shanks was so close to Ace’s parents that it was a version of adoption. It’s not like Shanks talks about what he did before he became Captain of his own ship, only the occasional comment about being a cabin boy and a friend, nothing that would tell Benn anything.

Ace watches him as they make it back to Red Force, peering over Shanks’ shoulder with wide eyes and tiny hands balled up in Shanks’ shirt. It’s cute, if Benn could figure out why the kid was watching him.

“Captain, are we kidnapping kids now?” Yasopp asks, lounging against a box. “’Cause I draw the line at takin’ kids from their lovin’ homes.”

“We ain’t kidnapping anyone,” Shanks snaps, bouncing Ace. “This is Portgas D Ace, his folks needed to take care of some things and I’m watching him. Ace, this is Yasopp, my sniper, that’s Lucky Roo, he’s pretty fun, and the rest of them.”

Ace frowns at Shanks, “You don’t remember there names do you? You’re as bad as Dad, at least Mom remembers all her friends names.”

“What?” Shanks squawks, “I’ll have you know I remember all their names!”

“What’s his name,” Ace points to a blond man with white gloves and a hat.

Shanks frowns at him, eyes narrowed as Benn bites his lip to keep from laughing. 

“I don’t know,” Shanks admits in defeat. “I forgot.”

“This is why mom says you can’t take after her, you know.” Ace says patting Shanks’ cheek. “Where am I gonna sleep?”

Benn wants to know too, because his room is barely ever used, not since Shanks failed at asking him out and they started dating. He’s not exactly in the mood to move all his things back to his room.

“Benn’s room. Benn sleeps in mine anyway.” Shanks answers with a calm that makes Benn blink at him in confusion. “And you better knock and let me tell you to come in before you open the door.”

“Like when Shakky comes to visit,” Ace nods to himself.

Benn doesn’t understand, this kid is probably four, maybe a little older, and he understands that he’s not suppose to go in rooms? That he has to wait for permission? Benn’s seen adults unable to understand the rules.

“Shakky’s been visiting? I thought she stayed here?”

Ace grins, “That’s what you think.”

~

Benn yanks open the door, blinking blearily down at Ace, who was hold a stuffed whale with crisscrossing scars along it’s head, “Kid?”

“Can I see Shanks?” Ace asks scrubbing at his eyes. “Please?”

Shanks is there at Benn’s side, already kneeling down to check Ace over before Benn has a chance to talk to him.

“Ace?”

“I’m hungry.” Ace mutters, ducking his face to hide it in the whale. “Sorry.”

“Ah,” Shanks looks guilty. “I’m sorry I forgot, Ace. Come on then,” He sweeps Ace up into his grasp and smiles. “Let’s see what we can do in the kitchen.”

Benn frowns, “Shanks, you can’t cook.”

“I can make a sandwich, Benn.”

Ace giggles, “We need lots of sandwiches, Shanks,” he cups a hand around his mouth and tries to whisper, “Dad showeded me how to eat them whole!”

“There’s a trick to it,” Shanks agrees. “He must think you’re ready for them if he taught you already. He didn’t teach me until just before I left.”

“Dad says you don’t need it as much.”

Shanks pokes Ace’s stomach as it growls loud enough to startle Benn, “I bet, your mom and your dad both eat more then I can in a week.”

“In a day?” Benn asks.

“In a meal,” Shanks corrects. “Come on then, midnight snack time it is!”

Benn goes back to bed, listening to the murmur of voices until they get too far away and he can doze back off. He wanders if Shanks is always so good with children.

~

Ace is a quiet kid, Benn notices over the course of the week, he keeps out of the way without being asked and bothers only Shanks when he needs something.

In fact, Benn is pretty sure that Ace only talks when Shanks is there, Benn opening their bedroom door the first night, notwithstanding.

And Ace adores Shanks.

Every time Ace tells stories about his family, and Benn has noticed the looks that Shanks shoots Ace and how he interrupts when Ace opens his mouth sometimes, Shanks features heavily.

“So,” Benn says slowly, watching Shanks teach one of the newer recruits something. “You’ve known Shanks for a while?”

Ace nods, “He was cabin boy on my dad’s ship. And my mom likes him, and so does Uncle Ray,” Ace ducks his face into the whale he’s always carrying with him, peering at Benn for a long minute. “Shanks is my big brother.”

“I remember, you said he was the best big brother.”

“He is. I was suppose ta have another brother, but mom and dad said something happened and I shouldn’t think about him too much.” Ace says slowly, thoughtfully. “I think he did something bad, really bad, and he’s not allowed to be family anymore.”

Benn glances down at Ace, “Not allowed?”

Ace nods, “Nakama doesn’t betray each other,” Ace frowns and glances up at Benn, eyes narrowing. “You won’t betray my brother, will you?”

“Not if I can help it.”

“Good, Shanks is the best.”

Benn wants to laugh, he’s being threatened by a child, he’s being threatened to not hurt a fully grown man by his adopted little brother. He’s seen what Ace can do, the brief spar between Shanks and Ace until Ace fell asleep while standing up, Ace’s is capable of at least bruising Benn up if he puts his mind to it.

“What do you do, when you’re with your parents?”

“We explore,” Ace answers instantly. “We go treasure hunting and sometimes we dress up as other people for mom’s work.”

Dress up?

“You like exploring?”

Ace nods, “Dad’s teaching me lots of cool stuff and Uncle Ray’s showed me how to make basic maps. And mom is teaching me how to do spy stuff.”

Shanks lifts Ace by the back of his shirt, “What are you saying about your mom?”

“Mom does spy stuff,” Ace shouts. “Mom says that I can tell people that.”

“Did she? Huh, okay.” Shanks settles Ace onto his hip. “Is it because she’s so good at it?”

Ace blinks at Shanks, “Mom doesn’t do much spy stuff, she just meets people and talks to them and takes reports. Uncle Dragon says that mom is too recognizable now.”

“She is recognizable.” Shanks agrees slowly. “What were you two even talking about?”

“About what I do at home!” Ace lies, giving Benn a look.

Benn nods, hiding a smile behind his hand, “He was talking about his Uncle Ray and map making.”

~

Ace has been on the ship for two months, Shanks keeping the ship to the easier parts of Paradise so that nothing happened, when a ship appears in the distance.

It takes hours for it to get close enough to identify the Jolly Roger and Benn feels his heart stop, the Roger Pirates. The Pirate King is sailing their way.

“Roo,” Benn mutters, keeping an eye on where Ace has taken over a corner of the deck to doodle something on a little book he carries with him. “Tell Shanks that Roger’s ship is headed our way.”

Roo makes a noise, taking off to find their captain, as Benn makes his way towards Ace.

“Benn?”

“Gonna have to move below deck, Ace, looks like there’s going to be a fight coming,” Benn says calmly. “It’ll be fine.”

Ace groans, “Dad never makes me go below deck when he fights.”

“Well, these pirates aren’t your normal pirates,” Benn states helping Ace collect his things as Shanks strides over, something odd playing over his face. “Captain?”

“Ace, why don’t you get your stuff together, I just talked to your folks and they’re heading our way,” Ace takes off like a rocket as Shanks glances towards the Oro Jackson. “Have the men ready for anything, but don’t attack until they do first.”

Benn nods and hopes that it doesn’t come to that.

It takes less then an hour for the Oro Jackson to pull up beside Red Force, the Pirate King himself dropping onto their deck without a care, grinning brightly.

“Where’s that brat at?”

“Hey old man!” Shanks waves as he bounces Ace, the kid’s bag in his other hand. “You have fun kicking Whitebeard’s ass.”

Ace frowns at Shanks, “I’m telling mom that you cursed. I kept a list.”

The Pirate King laughs, “Gonna tell Rouge everything your big brother did? That sounds mean, Ace.”

“I tell on you and you never get mad, Dad.”

Benn’s thoughts freeze, as the Pirate King, Gol D Roger, the most wanted man in the world, laughs and sweeps Ace out of Shanks’ grasp.

“Where you behaved for your big brother?”

Ace nods, “I was, just like you made me promise. Dad, Shanks has a Benn!”

“A ben?” Roger asks glancing towards Shanks for help. “What’s a ben?”

“Benn is a who, dear,” A woman answers, long pink hair braided down her back and a hibiscus flower behind her ear. “He’s Shank’s first mate. Hello Shanks, how’s travelling as your own captain treating you?”

“It’s fine, how was your trip, Rouge?”

“It was wonderful,” Rouge, the Pirate King was married?, says with a smile, “We met up with Edward and Marco, had a brief fight with Garp and then went and saw Dragon. Was Ace alright?”

Ace throws himself across the gap between Rouge and Roger the minute Rouge is close enough to catch him, “I was good, mom! Mom, Shanks needs his mouth washed out!”

“He’s a grown up with his own ship now, Ace, we don’t wash out the Captain’s mouth unless it’s your father,” Rouge laughs taking Ace from Roger. “And only after your father’s gotten into a fight with Garp.”

“Captain,” Benn states, drawing their attention, “What?”

Shanks grins, “Right. Benn Beckman meet my former captain, Gol D Roger, his wife, Portgas D Rouge, and their son, my little brother, Gol D Ace. Guys this is Benn Beckman, my boyfriend.”

“Benn is nice,” Ace adds like it’s important. “I like him.”

“Well, that is an excellent character reference,” Rouge says brightly. “A pleasure to meet you, Benn Beckman.”

“You too, ma’am.”

Roger laughs, “Polite too, reminds me of Rayleigh.”

“Reminds you of me?” Rayleigh asks leaning over the side of the Oro Jackson, “We better get going, I’ve spotted a marine vessel incoming.”

Ace pouts, “Do we have to?”

“Don’t worry about it, Firecracker, I’ll see you again soon,” Shanks promises, mussing Ace’s hair. “Behave or your mom’ll make you suffer.”

“Okay,” Ace is still pouting, though he looks resigned, “Love you, Shanks.”

“Love you too, Firecracker.”

~

“So,” Benn says after the Oro Jackson has vanished over the horizon, “Are we going to talk about how the Pirate King’s son decided you were his older brother?”

“Do we have to?”


End file.
